PREFECT GAVE ORDERS TO "KILL TUTSI CHILDREN LIKE SNAKES", SAYS WITNESS

Arusha, February 11, 2004 (FH)- A Tutsi woman survivor of the 1994 genocide Wednesday told the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR), that the former prefect of Butare and genocide suspect, Alphonse Nteziryayo, ordered the killing of Tutsi children in Muganza commune in a bid to exterminate the Tutsi ethnic group. "When you kill a snake, you must also dig up its hole in order to destroy its eggs", the 30th prosecution witness quoted the former prefect as having allegedly said during a meeting held in Butare.

1 min 46Approximate reading time

The witness, dubbed TP to conceal her identity, explained to the court that the phrase was an instruction to kill all Tutsi children who had survived the previous attacks by Hutus, Twas, Burundian refugees and the presidential guards. TP recalled that the meeting was either held on June 27th or 28th 1994 at the communal office and that it was also attended by the former Mayor of Muganza commune, Elie Ndayambaje who is also one of the six suspects in this case known as "Butare trial". Led by prosecution counsel Adelaide Whest, TP said that she was among the people who attended the meeting. She continued that she had sneaked out of the crowd for fear of being killed with her baby she carried on her back. She recounted that assailants went to her home after the meeting and ordered her to hand over all children. "Did you not hear what Nteziryayo said?" the attackers allegedly asked her. She continued that she gave them her only surviving kid out of the six children she had, and three others who belonged to her brother-in-law who had been killed during previous attacks. "I saw the body of my son with my own eyes and asked people to help me bury him," answered TP in response to the prosecutor's question on whether she ever saw the body of her son again after he had been taken away by the assailants. Earlier the witness testified that Elie Ndayambaje had led a convoy of five vehicles full of assailants to attack and kill Tutsis who had sought refugee at Kabuye hill in Muganza commune. TP concluded her examination-in-chief but could not proceed with the cross-examination. She had to give place to the previous witness, TW, to finish his cross-examination. TW had not been available for the morning session as he had fallen ill. Other accused in this trial include the former minister of Family and Women Affairs, Pauline Nyiramasuhuko, her son and alleged militia leader, Arsene Shalom Ntahobali, another former prefect of Butare, Sylvain Nsabimana, and the former Mayor of Ngoma commune Joseph Kanyabashi. The trial is taking place in Trial Chamber Two of the ICTR composed of Judges William Hussein Sekule of Tanzania (presiding), Judge Arlette Ramaroson from Madagascar and Judge Solomy Balungi Bossa of Uganda. NI/KN/AT/FH (BT''02011f)